Flexible signs and signaling devices are known. The tensioning of a flexible sign is old and well known. U.S. Pat. No. 1,873,178 discloses "eyes" fastened to the corners of a flexible sheet. The "eyes" cooperate with tongues fastened to the ends of resilient struts (battens) which support and tension the sheet. Due to external wind forces exerted on the "eyes" and "tongues" while the sheet is tensioned, the "eyes" particularly, and the "tongues" occasionally, are known to tear away from the members to which they are fastened, whereby tensioning of the flexible sheet is no longer possible.
A more common solution is to provide cloth pockets sewn to one side of a flexible sheet for receiving the ends of resilient battens. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,200,786 and 3,526,200. Due to the manner in which the battens are inserted into the pockets, and the external wind forces acting on the sheet while the sheet is tensioned, the battens quickly wear a hole through the cloth pocket or the flexible sheet, whereby the flexible sheet can no longer be tensioned.
The present invention is directed to solution of the problems of how to removably couple a rigid batten to a flexible sheet of plastic or fabric in a manner which does not rely on the ability of a "fastener", such as "eye" or "hook", to be adequately attached to its respective member so as to withstand the external forces of the wind without becoming unanchored, and the problem of the batten wearing through the corner pocket. A further discovery of the present invention solves the heretofore inherent problems associated with inserting the flexible battens into the corner pocket(s) (1) without necessity of flexing the batten to accomplish the procedure; (2) eliminates the potential for damage to the fabric sheet or oppositely disposed corner pockets; and (3) avoids any potential for human injury which could result from the sudden "untensioning" of the batten during the insertion procedure.